Denholm M. Jacobs helped to save Catherine A. Buchanan from drowning, Weekapaug, Rhode Island, August 14, 1958. When they were enveloped by a sudden fog while in the surf in Block Island Sound, Catherine, 11, and her father started to wade toward the beach but were carried into deeper water by a rip tide. The lifeguard and Jacobs, 36, associate hospital director, who already was tired from swimming, waded and swam to Catherine and her father, who then were 300 feet from shore in water eight feet deep. While the lifeguard towed the father, who was badly fatigued, at an angle to the current and then to the beach, Jacobs took hold of Catherine and tried as hard as he could to breast the rip tide. Unable to make any headway, he called to the lifeguard, who by then had disappeared in the fog. Jacobs supported Catherine as they were carried farther from the shore. From the beach Neil Walter Lorensen, Jr., 13, heard Jacobs calling. Neil waded into the water and swam through the fog in the direction of the calls, encountering the rip tide and passing through breakers about four feet high. Six hundred feet from shore in water 10 feet deep he reached Jacobs, who by then had been supporting Catherine for about 10 minutes. Neil and Jacobs together tried to tow Catherine but made no headway and called for the lifeguard. Noting that Jacobs was badly fatigued, Neil urged him to release Catherine and tread water. Jacobs did so; and Neil supported Catherine alone. Swells which offset the rip tide aided Neil and Jacobs in maintaining their positions. After Neil had supported Catherine for about 20 minutes, the lifeguard arrived bringing a preserver with a long line, the end of which was held by two men on the beach. All four persons held to the preserver and were pulled to shore. Jacobs was nearly exhausted but recovered. 45220-4392
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